HR0244 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0244 LRB094 11785 HSS 44029 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, A Silver Pastoral Anniversary Celebration and a Street Naming Ceremony in honor of Bishop Horace and Sister Susan Smith was held on March 19 and 20, 2005, at Apostolic Faith Church in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Horace E. Smith received his formal training in Chicago; he graduated an honor student from the Lindblom High School and continued his education, receiving the following degrees: Bachelor of Science (with honors), Chicago State University (1971); M.D., the University of Illinois Medical Center (1975); completion of Pediatric Residency, University of Illinois Hospital (1978); and completion of Clinical Fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children's Memorial Hospital/Northwestern University (1980); and

WHEREAS, Dr. Smith is director of the Comprehensive Sickle Cell/Thalassemia Program at Children's Memorial Hospital and is recognized world-wide as an outstanding pediatrician in his field, much sought after for his expertise by medical professionals; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Smith serves on the Board of the historic Wabash YMCA, which was purchased by four community churches, including Apostolic Faith Church; the churches redeveloped and reshaped the Y for community services, including SRO housing; since 2001, Dr. Smith has also served as a Board Member of The Family Institute at Northwestern University and as a member of the University of Chicago Cancer Research Center-Community Health Advisory Board; and

WHEREAS, In 2002, Bishop Smith and the Apostolic Faith Church partnered with World Vision to sponsor orphaned children whose parents died as a result of HIV/AIDS; to date, approximately 300 children have been adopted by members of the congregation; the Bishop and Mrs. Smith, along with World Vision, have traveled to South Africa to view first-hand the devastation caused by the AIDS virus; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Smith became pastor of the Apostolic Faith Church on March 28, 1980, and was elevated to the office of Bishop in August of 1997; in July of 2004, at the Annual Convention of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc., he was elected Presiding Bishop of this organization; and

WHEREAS, In September of 1987, the Apostolic Faith Church celebrated the opening of its new edifice at 3823 South Indiana Avenue, a $3,300,000 structure, with the mortgage being paid in full in two years; the congregation Bishop Smith serves numbers in excess of 3,000; at his Silver Anniversary Celebration, the church will be dedicating Indiana Avenue in his honor; and

WHEREAS, Bishop Smith has been married since 1976 to Susan Davenport Smith and they are the parents of three daughters; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Bishop Horace E. Smith, M.D., on the occasion of his Silver Pastoral Anniversary Celebration and the street naming in his honor; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Bishop Smith as an expression of our respect and esteem and with best wishes for many more years of success, both in his church work and in the medical field.